Yahoo! Search Trends: Halloween 2011

With “Halloween costume idea” searches up 351% this monthon Yahoo!, everyone from grandma to the family dog are getting prepared to trick-or-treat this Halloween. From Pam Am Stewardesses to Charlie Sheen, Halloween searches range from traditional to pop culture driven, and one thing that is certain is #winning the Halloween race means finding a costume that hits home with you. Yahoo! searches reveal what’s piquing the interest of Americans this Halloween season.

Top Searched Adult Costumes on Yahoo!

1.     Star Wars

2.     Vampire

3.     Pan Am Costume

4.     Superheroes

5.     Catwoman

6.     Eighties

7.     Indian

8.     Wizard of Oz

Fear Factor: Real Life

From Casey Anthony and Amanda Knox trials to Jeffrey Dahmer and Charles Manson, real life is oftentimes scarier than the fictional one portrayed on television and in the movies.  And whether we agree with it or not, real life is oftentimes the catalyst for controversial Halloweencostumes.

This year’s most controversially searched costumes on Yahoo!, include:

1.     Charlie Sheen

2.     Casey & Caylee Anthony

3.     Amanda Knox/Jessica Rabbit

4.     Osama Bin Laden

5.     Chaz Bono

What’s scarier than reality TV? Justin Bieber & Lady Gaga!

For many Americans neither reality TV nor Lady Gaga are all that frightening, but when it comes to Halloween, Bieber Fever, Gaga and the “Jersey Shore” kids all reigned supreme when it came to costumes and masks in 2010.

Top Searched Celebrity Costumes (this month):

1.     Lady Gaga

2.     Nicki Minaj

3.     Katy Perry

4.     Justin Bieber

5.     Snooki

6.     Dog the Bounty Hunter

7.     Taylor Swift

8.     Charlie Sheen

Top Searched Movie-Themed Costumes (this month):

1.     Ghostbusters

2.     Nightmare Before Christmas

3.     Edward Scissor Hands

4.     Rocky Horror Picture Show

5.     Beetlejuice

After Hours: Adult Halloween Parties

Alluring vampires, pirates, devils, and witches may dominate the adult-Halloween party scene; however crime fighting Wonder Woman, a blue favorite, and the beautifulpeacock also are favorites in the “sexy” category.

Some of the Top Searched “Sexy” Costumes:

1.     Sexy Superhero

2.     Sexy Smurf

3.     Sexy Men’s Cop

4.     Sexy Peacock

5.     Sexy Couples costumes

Childhood Flashbacks: Retro Halloween. When it comes to television and movies, many Trick-or-Treaters are channeling their childhood and flashing back to their favorite 1980’s memory.  Jem and the Holograms, Rainbow Brite, Scooby Doo, Strawberry Shortcake, and Top Gun searches are all buzzing this month on Yahoo!.

Baby Love. Babies are innocent and sweet, and most parents tend to make sure the costumes are a match for that innocence, and animal and flower costumes are usual favorites. Searches for “baby costumes” are up more than 3,700% this month. The 2011 trends? Angry Bird baby costume, cookie monster and Disney’s “Up”.

Top Searched Baby Halloween Costumes

1.     Angry Bird

2.     Cookie Monster

3.     Butterfly

4.     Dinosaur

5.     Pumpkin

Top Searched Toddler Halloween Costumes

1.     Pirate

2.     Stay Puff Marshmallow

3.     Disney’s “Up”

4.     Elephant

5.     Brother/Sister costume ideas for toddlers

Top Searched Kids Halloween Costumes:

1.     Lava Girl

2.     Disney (Mickey, Minnie)

3.     Harry Potter

4.     Michael Jackson

5.     Nerd

DIY Scary. Are the best costumes homemade costumes? Yahoo! searches for “homemade Halloween costume” are spiking 658% this month. Most likely, it’s not about the costume, but the fun with family and friends that goes into making the costume. Whether it’s a costume, caramel apples or pumpkin carving, Halloween is a time when DIY holiday projects start capturing the attention of people across the country.

Top Searched DIY Searches:

1.     Halloween crafts

2.     Easy to make Halloween costumes

3.     How to make a mask?

4.     Haunted house ideas

5.     Create a haunted room

Top searched Halloween candy and recipes

Trick-or-Treat? Most people forget that it’s a question and without a treat, you may get a trick – after all, Halloween is all about the TREATS, right?!? From M&Ms and Candy Corn to Circus Peanuts and NECCO Wafers, Yahoo! searches reveal what trick-or-treaters might be seeing in their candy bags this Halloween:

According to Yahoo!, the Top Searched Halloween Candy (this month):

1.    M&Ms

2.    Candy Corn

3.    Chewy Caramels

4.    Skittles

5.    Butterfinger

6.    Lollipops

7.    Twix

8.    Gummi Bears/Worms

9.    Snickers

10. Jelly Belly

11. Hershey Bars

12. Rock Candy

13. Bubble Gum

14. Hershey Kisses

15. Licorice

According to Yahoo!, the Top Searched Gluten-Free Candy (this month):

1.    M&Ms (except pretzel)

2.    Butterfinger

3.    Snickers

4.    Jelly Belly

5.    Hershey’s Bars (plain)

6.    Hershey’s Kisses

7.    NECCO Wafers

8.    Baby Ruth

9.    Bit-o-Honey

10. Circus Peanuts

What’s Cooking: From costumes to haunted houses, at the heart of Halloween is creativity and imagination, and that doesn’t stop in the kitchen.

Top Halloween Recipes Searches on Yahoo!:

1.    Halloween Recipes for Kids

2.    Halloween Cupcake Recipes

3.    Brain Jell-O Mold

4.    Toasted Pumpkin Seeds

5.    Pumpkin cookies

A Few Quirky Food Trends on Yahoo!:

·      Pumpkin Margaritas & Martinis

·      Candy Corn Marshmallows

·      Halloween Rice Crispie Treats

·      Bat cookies